Marine Debris Program Contributes to California Zero Waste Conversations
AUGUST 26, 2019 — On August 13, the NOAA Marine Debris Program's California Regional Coordinator, Sherry Lippiatt, presented on marine debris prevention strategies at the California Resource Recovery Association Conference.
The session, titled "Source to Sea: Comprehensive Strategies to Achieve Zero Waste to Waterways," explored the range of policy, program, infrastructure, education, and funding solutions for addressing marine debris in the state. Sherry spoke about the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy, a stakeholder-developed action plan for addressing marine debris from 2018-2024. She shared an implementation status update, successes, and opportunities for new organizations to get involved. The other session speakers discussed community-driven marine debris monitoring and data collection efforts, along with municipal approaches to fund and implement new trash capture requirements for stormwater permits. The conference theme was "The Culture of Zero Waste," emphasizing the importance of waste reduction as changes in the global markets challenge domestic recycling efforts.
For additional information, please contact Sherry.Lippiatt @noaa.gov.